Song of the Heart
by TheseFourWords
Summary: The guys and girls of Konoha land the opportunity of their dreams, international stardom as the two bands Shinobi and Kunoichi. Will Naruto and Hinata finally get the happily ever after of their dreams? Will the price of fame destroy their relationship and tear the groups apart, or will love come out victorious?
1. Chapter 1

It took 1 year, 8 months, 5 days, 21 hours, 13 minutes, and 48 seconds.

It took 10 people, 1 harlot, 2 tours, 2 competitions, and 1 song.

It took 7 words, 2 hearts, 1 twist of fate, 2 breakups, and 1 reunion to reach their happy ending.

But let's start from the beginning.

* * *

Sakura Haruno wasn't your typical popular girl.

Yes, she had perfect hair and teeth and good looks and brains to boot – hell, guys and girls alike would say she radiated perfection – but rarely did those who didn't know her look deeper than that. She was loyal to a fault, stubborn with a temper none could come close to matching and absolutely _refused_ to be made a fool of.

Ino Yamanaka wasn't your typical buxom blonde.

If you looked up confident in the dictionary, her picture would undeniably be found next to the word. Beautiful in a more _in-your-face_ way than her above companion, Ino _loved_ attention and seemed to inevitably attract it. Loud, proud, and a men magnet, she had one pet peeve: she would _not_ stand to be insulted.

Tenten wasn't your typical – well, she just wasn't "typical" at all.

She was undeniably a beauty in her own, proud way. One of the most, if not _the_ most hardworking girl in the group, she let nothing stand in her way. The girl wasn't exactly sure how she managed to find best friends in the three girls she surrounded herself with, as they were at four opposite ends of the spectrum, yet she wouldn't trade them for anyone. Clever, quick, and strong, Tenten's fault lay in her pride – she rejected the idea of letting _anyone_ beat her.

Hinata Hyuuga wasn't your typical quiet girl.

She was reserved, but was far past the stuttering, scared personality that plagued her childhood. Long charcoal hair contrasted sharply with opalescent eyes, granting the girl ogling looks she never seemed to notice. Loyalty was the essence of her spirit, and her calming nature tended to keep the group of girls from descending into madness. She didn't find it necessary to speak up often, yet all sought her opinion. Pearl eyes led to a kind soul, and she wouldn't stand for anyone putting _her_ friends down.

These personalities lead to our current predicament.

"What the hell did you just say to me Inuzuka?!"

"You heard me _Yamanaka_," the tan boy mimicked her use of surname with an arrogant smirk on his face. "There's no way in hell a group of girls is going to beat us for first place. Maybe if you twirl around in your shortest skirt for the judges then you might have a chance at, oh I don't know, third or fourth place."

"That's a hell of a lot of talk for someone who doesn't even play a key role in your so-called "band" Kiba." Tenten quirked an eyebrow while Ino glared at him, insulted. "Besides, it would be a waste of time to join when you guys obviously don't present any kind of competition."

There was obviously going to be no work done in classroom 5A that afternoon.

Kiba Inuzuka, who was presently yelling obscenities at an annoyed Tenten, sat next to his 3 friends who all looked equally annoyed. Sasuke Uchiha looked on at the four girls with his infamous death glare, while Shikamaru Nara had enough pride to scowl despite how troublesome he thought the situation seemed to be. Naruto Uzumaki crossed his arms in defiance.

"Kiba's right, girl bands are a joke compared to guy bands. All you do is sing about love, breakups, and guys – ACK, SAKURA THAT REALLY HURT!" Naruto whined as he rubbed the newly formed lump on his head.

"Those are NOT the only things girl bands sing about idiot! You guys are just scared because you know we're going to DEMOLISH you and win first place easily," Sakura growled, holding up an intimidating first in front of her with fire in her eyes. Hinata shook her head at their antics, looking down at the flyer in her hands while the two groups of friends bickered between each other.

_5__th__ Annual __**BATTLE OF THE BANDS**__!_

_Friday, May 16__th__ in the Konoha Arena!_

_All groups encouraged to participate for a chance to win the first prize of:_

_A $10,000 RECORDING CONTRACT WITH DAIMYO RECORDS AND A CHANCE TO GO ON A NATIONWIDE TOUR_

_Last day to sign up: Wednesday, May 7__th__!_

'_Ten thousand dollars is a __**lot**__ of money…'_ Hinata bit her lip in consideration while recalling the past 6 months of hard work she and her friends had been putting into their music, both groups competing for spots performing in the most popular local clubs and hangouts. The two groups had become relatively well-known in their hometown, as well as the cities surrounding it. _'I've never performed in front of more than 200 people though, if even that! Much less an arena full! And if we did win, Naruto would definitely...'_ a frown appeared on her face at the thought of the blonde being angry at her group – more specifically, _her_ – for beating his band in the competition. She sighed sadly, disappointment flickering in her eyes for the briefest of moments. _'He doesn't pay much attention to me as it is, so it's not like much would change.'_

"So what do you say!?" a voice broke her from her thoughts and she looked up, startled to find sapphire eyes boring into her own as he leaned over the desk towards her. She flushed at the sudden attention.

"U-um," she mentally cursed herself for stuttering. "What do I say about what..?" she asked quietly.

"What do you say about participating in Battle of the Bands of course!" Sakura broke in as Hinata turned to find all eyes on her, looking expectant.

"You _are_ our lead singer; we can't really do it without you." Ino looked at her longingly, holding her hands together in a prayer as if pleading for her approval with a pout on her face.

"Yeah Hina, you think you can hold your own against me?" Naruto flashed a devilish wink at her, smiling in his signature grin and she fought off the urge to faint at the sound of the nickname he'd given her.

"You mean us dobe, unless you want to sing with no music idiot." Sasuke swiftly kicked the back of his chair , causing the blonde to fall backwards with an "oof!" while the others laughed at his expense. Hinata looked down at the flyer in her hands one last time, chewing her lip in thought.

'_I suppose I wouldn't mind competing, especially after all of the things they've said to us. And it __would__ mean getting to spend more time with Naruto outside of class...'_ Hinata smiled to herself. She definitely didn't need any more convincing.

"You guys are going down."

* * *

"Those guys just think they're _soooo_ clever with their stupid faces and their dumb songs and their cocky attitudes. AS IF I CARE ABOUT YOU'RE DUMBASS OPINIONS!" Ino yelled angrily, shaking a fist in the air as she turned to the group of guys walking away with various smirks and grins on their faces. Kiba stuck his tongue out at her in the moment before they disappeared around the corner which only seemed to infuriate her further.

"We can't let them get to us! We've only got one week until the competition and we _can't_ be distracted," Sakura grabbed her arm, forcing her to walk in the other direction and away from the school.

"We still need one more song, and we're haven't even come close to deciding what we're going to wear and- ughhh!" Tenten threw her hands in exasperation while Hinata placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be okay. I've actually, um, been working on a song if you guys want to hear it," Hinata spoke quietly, eyes drifting to the ground by habit.

"Why didn't you say something sooner, your songs are always our most popular ones!" Ino captured her in a tight hug, jumping up and down in the air causing Hinata to flush at the compliment.

"I have it right here in my-OH NO!" Hinata exclaimed, a frightened look entering her eyes as she dug through her bag in a frenzy. "I know I had it in here, I was just working on it during last class and-," she suddenly gasped in realization.

"What's wrong, Hinata?" Sakura placed her hands on her shoulders to shake her from her thoughts.

"My song book, it's not here in my bag! I brought it to school with me so I could finish up the song during my free time and I must have left it," she turned the opposite direction and began jogging back to the school. "I have to go, I'll meet you guys tonight for practice!" she yelled back at the group as she took off in a run back towards Konoha High. Bursting through the doors she made her way down the sunlit hallway, grabbing her padlock with trembling fingers.

"Where is it, where is it!" she slammed her locker shut and sprinted towards her last class, pulling open the doors only to come to a halt, eyes gaping at the sight before her.

"Eh?! H-Hinata, it's not what it looks like I swear!" Naruto stretched his hands out in front of him defensively, eyes wide in surprise while a small, sky blue book dangled loosely out of his left hand. "I forgot my bag and came back for it, and it was just sitting there, you know? A-and I was just going to leave it, but then I saw your name on it so I was planning on returning it right away, but I guess I got kind of curious.." he trailed off with a laugh while scratching his cheek and holding the book out to her. She crossed the room, grabbing it more roughly than she meant, and traced her hand over the cover as if looking for any signs of damage with brows furrowed.

"Naruto-"

"I mean, you've always written really good songs you know?" Hinata's eyes found his face in an instant, disbelief etched clearly across her soft features while Naruto looked down in shame and scuffed his shoes across the floor. A blush inevitably worked its way across her face and she looked away quickly as he raised his eyes to her own.

"You…you really think that I, um, write good songs?" she ventured cautiously, hands clutching the book tightly to her chest with downcast eyes. He grinned, his smile brightening the room (in her opinion anyway) and he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Believe it, you're kind of amazing Hinata!" he exclaimed to her, and though she knew he couldn't mean what his words implied she felt her heartbeat quicken with hope that he did. She peered up at him, knowing her face must be as red as a tomato, and smiled softly at him.

"Thank you…it means a lot, c-coming from you." She added the last part quietly and he made no indication of hearing, yet he squeezed her shoulder in reassurance before allowing his hand to drop back to his side.

"Let me walk you out, yeah? To repay you for peeking at your journal," he added quickly before she could protest. She could only nod her head in a trance, fighting to keep herself from fainting. He led her out of the room, turning towards the doors and opening them into the cool spring air. She took a deep breath and sighed in contentment as the breeze blew through her hair, oblivious to the small smile appearing on Naruto's face as he watched her through his peripheral.

"You've got some really great songs in progress Hina, I can see a load of improvement from some of y'alls earlier stuff," he grinned at her proudly, pleased at the sight of her blush from his compliment while he scratched the back of his head similar to his infamous sensei.

"I've been feeling a burst of inspiration you could say," she said while trying to focus on the road ahead of her so as to prevent azure eyes from clouding her mind. She didn't have to mention that he was the reason for her increase in song writing, though it was blatantly obvious to her band mates.

"You know, I was wondering...it might be a dumb suggestion," she looked at him quizzically as he trailed off, refusing to meet her gaze. _'Is he…__**embarrassed**__?'_ She frowned slightly.

"You can ask me Naruto, I'm positive I won't think anything you suggest is dumb." He smiled at that for a moment.

"I was thinking it might be kind of cool to, you know, _singasongtogether_." He rushed out the words, kicking a rock in frustration with himself.

"I'm sorry Naruto, um, I didn't quite catch that last part." He sighed and came to a halt, forcing her to stop suddenly as he met her eyes.

"I thought that, maybe – only if you wanted to! – that it might be kind of cool for us to, I don't know, perform a song together?" He had planned for it to come out far more eloquent and confident than it did, rather than reflecting his uncertainty, yet he supposed it would do if the fervent blush on her face was any indication.

"You and I?" "Yes." "Perform a….song?" "Yeah." "…Together?"

"It would be pretty cool wouldn't it? I mean, we've both gained a good amount of popularity in the area, and you of course write all these amazing songs!" He motioned to the book still clutched in her grasp. "And I've been working on some stuff of my own, and I thought it might bring our groups some more attention you know?" He wouldn't mention that he also just genuinely wanted to sing with her, though his words seemed almost enough to produce a fainting spell as is.

'_He actually wants to work with __**me**__!?' _she thought in excitement, looking at the ground and shuffling her feet shyly. _'I mean, I've always been a little proud of my songwriting, but he actually thinks that it's good enough for him to want to sing with me!'_

"Well, what do you say Hina?" he asked when she stayed quiet a moment too long for his comfort, and was taken aback at the joy in her eyes when she lifted her eyes to his and smiled dazzlingly.

"I would _love_ to."

'_Now __this__ is the Hinata I recognize.'_ He looked at her fondly before grinning happily. "Great! We can start tomorrow morning!" And with a wave of his hand he left her in the road, drowning in immense happiness.


	2. Chapter 2

"Are you listening to me Naruto?"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you. Just give me, like, two seconds…"

Naruto Uzumaki was usually an easily distracted, attention deficit blockhead, but his crazed scribbling as he hunched over a notebook with furrowed brows was a bit out of the ordinary, Shikamaru decided.

"Ah, that doesn't even make any sense! God, idiot!"

Well, as much more "out of the ordinary" as the blonde could get.

Shikamaru watched with a raised brow as the boy sloppily erased the last line he wrote while muttering under his breath, a deep frown engraved onto his face. He sighed, deeming the situation too troublesome and went back to tuning his bass. Kiba, however, didn't have the same amount of control over his curiosity.

"Dude, what the hell is up with you? Ever since you got here after going back for your bag you've been acting," he paused as the blonde looked at him moodily, almost daring him to say something. "Weird." Naruto sent him a fierce glare before resuming his scribbling, leaving the tan boy scratching his head in a confused manner with a scowl on his face as he contemplated whether he could get away with delivering his friend a swift kick in the ass.

"What's so important you're holding up our practice?" Sasuke said with an annoyed expression, walking by and seizing the notebook and pushing a hand against Naruto's chest as he jumped up, attempting to snatch it back. "A song? What the hell are you doing working on a song when we already have our set list for the competition?"

"It's not for the competition _teme_," he emphasized as he pushed aside the hand holding him in place and taking the notebook back, narrowing his eyes at raven haired boy. "It's for something else."

"Let me guess that this has to do with Hinata in some way or another," Shikamaru drawled in the way only he could and Kiba grinned mischievously when Naruto flushed for an instant.

"Ha! I should've guessed, you've been so hung up on her lately," Kiba threw his head back with a laugh while Sasuke rolled his eyes. "She's too good for you."

"Whatever asshole, it's not even like that." He crossed his arms, refusing to meet any of his friends' gazes. "And even if it was, I'm a nice guy she wouldn't be too good for me," he muttered despondently.

"Tch, she's way out of your league," Sasuke paused for a moment, catching the blondes gaze and looking at him with his signature smirk. "Baka."

"EHHH, TAKE THAT BACK SASUKE-TEME!"

"Whatever it's for it's going to have to wait until later. Let's get to practicing." Shikamaru stated as he took his place behind the keyboard while Kiba howled with laughter while holding Naruto back from strangling a satisfied Sasuke, who slung his guitar over his shoulder.

"Come on Lover Boy, let's get started." Kiba slapped Naruto across the back with a grin on his face before taking his own place behind a drum set. Naruto furrowed his eyes stubbornly, muttering threats under breath as he took his own place.

"Whatever idiots, let's do this then. Ready? Five, six, seven, eight."

* * *

**From: Kiba**

_**the idiot totally likes her and he doesn't even realize it haha**_

Ino attempted to stifle her laughter as much as possible as she stared at her phone, allowing Sakura (who succumbed to quiet giggles) to peek at the message, before turning to her flustered friend.

It had not escaped the notice of Ino, Tenten, and Sakura that the shy girl was inherently lost in her thoughts that evening. All watched in amusement as she hastily moved around the room, occupying herself with one task only for a furious blush to appear on her face a few moments later. She would then immediately turn away and find something else to do, repeating this process over and over.

"You know Hinata, you don't have to hide the fact that you're thinking about Naruto." Tenten teased her, causing her to gasp and look at the girls in disbelief. As if it wasn't blatantly obvious that he was what occupied her thoughts, she realized, and sighed before meeting their smug faces meekly.

"H-he told me my songs are amazing," she poked her forefingers together in embarrassment with pink cheeks while the girls cooed with endearment.

'_Their feelings are so obvious to everyone but each other.' _Ino sighed, shaking her head and placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Tell. Him. How. You. Feel!" she shook the girl to add emphasis to each word.

"Let her tell him in her own time, you psychopath." Tenten freed a dizzy Hinata from Ino's grasp as the blonde made incoherent exclamations about love. "There's no rush Hinata. Even though it's like, ten years overdue."

Hinata pouted when she could not dispute the claim, but couldn't stay angry at her friends (no matter how annoying they were being). "Do you want to see the song I was talking about, or are we going to sit here talking about guys all night?"

"She's right, we need to get start– for crying out loud, shut the hell up Ino!" she smacked the blonde, who was rambling about the various methods in which Hinata could confess her love to Naruto, in the back of the head, immediately shutting her up. She mumbled curses under her breath as Sakura continued. "–started right now if we want this song to be ready in time for the competition."

"As much as I hate to agree with Billboard Brow," Ino said earning a _"Hey!"_ from Sakura, "She's right. Let us take a look at the song Hinata." Hinata merely nodded, pulling her songbook out of her bag silently, flipping the book open and scanning through the contents until she reached the page she was looking for. She held it open while the three girls gathered around her.

"_Somehow I can't forget you, been going crazy from the moment I met you_…Hmm, that sounds familiar. I love it!" Tenten winked at the blushing girl before clapping her hands together while Ino and Sakura praised her as well.

"You don't mind that it's about-"

"Naruto? Are you kidding, y'alls relationship is like a song **gold mine**!" Sakura slapped her on the back encouragingly, leaving Hinata unsure whether she should feel complimented or insulted. She settled for a small smile.

"T-then let's get started. Sakura, I was thinking you could sing this part here and Ino…"

* * *

Light shimmered through the blinds in a golden sheet, blanketing the room as pale eyes flickered open. A sharp ringing filled the soft peach room and Hinata grumbled in annoyance, reaching her arm out and blindly searching for the source of the disturbance. She pushed things aside things on her nightstand, the items falling roughly onto the floor, until her hand clasped around a rectangular object. She brought the phone to her face, flicking her finger across the screen and letting out a grumbled **_hello_**. It was more of a grumpy _'what the hell do you want'_ rather than an actual greeting.

"Good morning to you too Sleeping Beauty," came the all-too-familiar voice through the receiver and her eyes immediately shot open. She could almost hear the grin he was most certainly wearing as he let out a chuckle.

"N-N-Naruto!" she exclaimed, immediately raising herself into a sitting position with a bright blush across her face. She ran her fingers through her hair as she rubbed her eyes repeatedly, trying to compose herself from the sudden awakening.

"I always took you for a morning person Hina, but for a second there I was sure you were going to bite my head off!" he let out a hearty laugh while Hinata threw herself backwards onto the bed, covering her face with her hands in sheer embarrassment and willing the sheets to swallow her.

"I-I'm sorry Naruto, did you need something? Are you alright?"

"Don't tell me that you forgot about our practice this morning!" he said, the hint of an emotion underlying his tone that she couldn't identify. If she had thought about it for a minute or so she could have quickly identified it as _disappointment_. However, she was far too overwhelmed with the idea of being on the phone with her long-time crush and the reproach she felt towards herself at forgetting what day it was and holy crap she was really about to spend the entire morning with the guy who makes her heart beat slower and faster at the same time, and did she hear him incorrectly or had he called her Sleeping Beauty just a moment ago?

"I-I didn't!" she protested as she threw the covers off of herself, jumping out of bed and running to the bathroom in a frenzied rush. "I was just surprised; I-I didn't think you would be calling so early."

"Ah, well, I just was in a rush to get started," she half-listened to him clear his throat awkwardly as she pulled a brush through her indigo hair before splashing some water onto her face. "That's not a problem is it?"

"No!" she said, perhaps too quickly, betraying her excitement. Not only had she been fully aware of what the morning would bring, she had stayed up all night in constant anxiety, painstakingly choosing the perfect outfit that she would wear, trying out fifty thousand hairstyles to decide how she would do her hair, and contemplating whether she should back out at the last minute to avoid potentially embarrassing herself and ruining the image she had built up over the past year. Not that any of this forethought mattered one bit because now the object of her thoughts was here, on the phone with her, ready to go at this very moment while she rushed around her room brushing her teeth and attempting make herself presentable.

"Great, because I'm already–," she heard him say a moment before her bedroom door was pushed wide open and she found the blonde staring at her, with a slack jaw and wide eyes. "–here."

A moment later her shriek filled the air.

* * *

The pair walked beside each other silently, faces crimson for two vastly different reasons.

Hinata, in all her shame, had managed to keep herself together enough to prevent herself from fainting as she turned to see him standing in her doorway while she stood in her room almost naked. She desperately wished a hole would open in the ground so she could fling herself into it to escape the trials that the day seemed keen to thrust upon her, even more so after the severe beating Neji had inflicted upon Naruto after he burst into the room upon hearing her scream. Seeing that the ground was not likely to open before her, she settled on retreating into the quiet interior of her mind, playing the scene over and over in her mind only to become more embarrassed each time.

Naruto, on the other hand, was flushed for the complete opposite reason. He rubbed his aching cheek begrudgingly in the spot Neji had found it necessary to slam his fist into (without even giving him a chance to explain, he might add), yet that was not the reason why his face was red. His mind was flooded with a particular image, an image that he could not remove from the forefront of his mind no matter what he did: a girl clad in nothing more than bra and underwear, in the process of shoving a leg into a pair of pants. Smooth, pale legs contrasted sharply with thin, magenta material while curvy hips led to a slim waist and–

He shook his head, catching his mind drifting again and fought the blush back under his control with a frustrated expression.

'_This is __**Hinata**__, it should be illegal for anyone to even __think__ about her like that! Damnit Naruto, get yourself under control! She's your friend…'_ his thoughts trailed off and he frowned. He peeked at Hinata out of the corner of his eye and found her blushing deeply, looking as if she wanted nothing more than to disappear. He sighed and put his hand on her shoulder, and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"I, uh, just wanted to say sorry. I really didn't mean to, you know…" his mind began to drift again and he restrained his thoughts before they could lead back to a certain image. "Anyway, if you don't want to do this today we can always reschedule-"

"No!" she interrupted suddenly and he looked at her in surprise. She quickly looked at the ground to avoid meeting his gaze and shuffled her feet in embarrassment. "I mean, it's just that we're already here and I was kind looking forward to hearing what you've been working on…" she mumbled shyly, hoping that he wouldn't hear her.

"Great, then let's head to my apartment!" he said with a broad grin, grabbing her hand with renewed vigor and taking off in a run and she fought a new urge to faint for the umpteenth time that morning alone.

Within minutes he was unlocking his apartment, leading her gently inside by the hand, and closing the door behind her. They stood near the doorway, bodies hovering close to each other for what seemed like an hour but in reality was less than a minute, before Naruto coughed and released her hand with an awkward smile. He stepped away from her and felt the tension lifted from the atmosphere.

"If you want to sit down for a sec I can go grab my notebook and guitar," he said as he motioned towards the couch with a smile and she nodded her head numbly. Butterflies fluttered wildly in her stomach as she made her way into his living room, which she noticed was surprisingly clean and free of ramen cups, and sat down, running her hands through her hair to straighten it after the running.

"Bet you're surprised it's clean, huh?" he grinned at her as he emerged from his room, holding an acoustic guitar in one hand and a yellow notebook in the other. She laughed lightly as she noticed the piles of clothes and empty ramen cups stuffed into his room right before he quickly closed the door, a bashful grin on his face as he hurriedly made his way into the room.

"Would you like to get started, Naruto?" Hinata smiled a small smile and patted the seat next to her and he sat down nervously. She fiddled with bad anxiously, taking out her songbook and placing it on the coffee table as he settled himself into the seat next to her.

"You brought your songbook? Great, do you mind if I…", he motioned his hand towards the book and she hesitantly handed it over to him. She looked at it longingly as though it were her child as he immediately began flipping through the pages as he continued to speak. "I saw this one song you had written- you know, when you caught me peeking at your songs- and I really liked it. You always write these deep songs and they're so much better than those dumb songs you hear played over and over on the radio. They seem so soulful and they're kind of sad, and I'm rambling aren't I?" He scratched the back of his head in habit, smiling broadly in the way he did when nervous and placed the book on the table in front of her, opened to a specific page. She stared at it in a daze, slowly digesting all of the things he'd said as if in a dream.

'_O-of all the songs, __this__ is the one he wants to hear? Oh Kami, someone up there is out to get me today.'_ she silently cursed her bad luck as she fought off another fainting spell. She gulped audibly and peeked at Naruto to find him staring at him expectantly like a puppy waiting on a treat.

"A-Are you sure it wasn't, um, a different song?" she asked although she knew it was too much to hope for, and her fears were confirmed when he nodded his head vigorously. With shaky hands she reached for the guitar in his lap, her finger brushing against his as they gripped the neck and he released his hold as though he'd been shocked, watching as she lifted it into position in front of her. She tuned it soundlessly, gazing at the scribbles in her book and the clumsily drawn chords she had begun to write. Slowly she began a steady rhythm, refusing to meet his gaze as she cleared her throat and began to sing.

_Today is a winding road that's taking me to places that I didn't want to go, whoa _

_Today in the blink of an eye I'm holding on to something and I do not know why_

_I tried_

_I tried to read between the lines_

_I tried to look in your eyes_

_I want a simple explanation_

_For what I'm feeling inside_

_Gotta find a way out_

_Maybe there's a way out_

_Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer_

_Do you know you're unlike any other?_

_You'll always be my thunder, and I said_

_Your eyes are the brightest of all the colors_

_I don't wanna ever love another_

_You'll always be my thunder_

_So bring on the rain_

_And bring on the thunder_

_Today is a winding road_

_Tell me where to start and tell me something I don't know, whoa _

_Today I'm on my own, I can't move a muscle and I can't pick up the phone_

_I don't know _

_And now I'm itching for the tall grass_

_And longing for the breeze_

_I need to step outside_

_Just to see if I can breathe_

_Gotta find a way out_

_Maybe there's a way out_

_Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer_

_Do you know you're unlike any other?_

_You'll always be my thunder, and I said_

_Your eyes are the brightest of all the colors_

_I don't wanna ever love another_

_You'll always be my thunder_

_So bring on the rain_

_Yeah I'm walking on a tightrope_

_I'm wrapped up in vines_

_I think we'll make it out_

_But you just gotta give me time_

_Strike me down with lightning_

_Let me feel you in my veins_

_I wanna let you know how much I feel your pain_

_Today is a winding road that's taking me to places that I didn't want to go, whoa_

_Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer_

_Do you know you're unlike any other?_

_You'll always be my thunder, and I said_

_Your eyes are the brightest of all the colors_

_I don't wanna ever love another_

_You'll always be my thunder, and I said_

_Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer_

_Do you know you're unlike any other?_

_You'll always be my thunder_

_So bring on the rain_

_Oh baby bring on the pain_

_And listen to the thunder_

Her eyes, which had refused to so much a peek in his direction throughout the song, immediately searched his face for approval the second she strummed the final note on his guitar. She found herself wanting to cry for some strange reason, as if his not liking the song would be a rejection of her feelings, which was absurd since she'd never actually _confessed_ them, yet for her it was a step in that direction despite the fact he was completely and totally unaware of it.

"I was wrong." He murmured softly while looking at her but not looking _at_ her. She inhaled a short breath and braced herself for the inevitable. _'Here it comes. "I was wrong, I thought I liked it but it actually sucks," Kami I'm such an idiot. I shouldn't have even-' _"It was better than I could have every imagined it."

"What?" she looked at him questionably. That wasn't the answer she was expecting at all. She had already planned out her plan to escape from his apartment and live out the rest of her days in shame in a city on the opposite side of the world after he told her he hated her song, yet here he is saying that he _likes _it?

"Don't sound so surprised, that was amazing! Start giving yourself some more credit Hina, everyone but you knows that you're an amazing song writer." He looked at her with a broad grin on his face and she blushed a deep red at the compliment. She looked at the floor shyly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear before gaining the courage to gaze up at him with a serene smile on her face and a soft 'Thank you.'

He looked at her in a new light then as she looked at him with so much gratitude that he felt – no, _knew_ – the compliment meant much more to her than he could have imagined. His heart constricted in his chest in that moment, and he felt a stirring in the pit of his stomach that he had never felt towards her, or anyone, before. And for a moment he found himself thinking of her, one of his most precious people, as more than just a friend. He didn't have words for what he wanted her to be, he wasn't even quite sure if he _like_ liked her, but he wanted her to be _something_.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" she shook him lightly, breaking him from his rampant thoughts and he saw her looking at him with concern.

"Eh? Oh! Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that after hearing that I'm not sure if I want to show you my song anymore."

"Please! I really want to hear it!" she pouted up at him, knitting her hands together in prayer form and he looked away before she could see the light blush appear on his face.

"Alright, give me this." He took the guitar from her, his ego expanding at her excitement and purposely touching her hand as he took the guitar from her. He felt a warm shock run up his arm at the contact and the same fluttering in his stomach and smiled a sly grin of satisfaction.

"I'm finishing up the ending," he said to her as he strummed a few notes. "And it's more upbeat than I can show with just this guitar. And it doesn't really _mean_ anything, but it's fun and I like it."

"Songs don't have to have a deeper meaning to be great." She smiled at him.

"This is the beginning," he said returning her smile.

_I spend my money on the regular miracles_

_Just like you, like me, like everybody else_

_Up on the sun looking sad and beautiful_

_Just like you, like me, like everybody else_

_When it gets loud, I turn it up_

_Oh, shake it like a bad girl up in Harlem_

_When it's too hot, I light it up_

_Oh, light it up, yeah, smoke 'em if you got 'em_

_Here come the jets, hide my money in your tube socks_

_Run like me, like hell, like everybody else_

_Hair metal on a Japanese boom box_

_Kicks like you, like me, like everybody else_

_When it gets loud, I turn it up_

_Oh, shake it like a bad girl up in Harlem_

_When it's too hot, I light it up_

_Oh, light it up, yeah, smoke 'em if you got 'em_

_When it's too soft, I shake it up_

_Sh-sh-sh-shake it up like a bad girl up in Harlem_

_You're so sweet, but I like it rough_

_Oh, light it up, yeah, smoke 'em if you got 'em_

She stared at him with a wide smile as he strummed a few more chords and tapping his feet before coming to a stop and she clapped her hands together playfully while he mock bowed.

"You really think it's good?"

"It's great, Naruto! It's very, well, _you_. It's so fun and happy," she laughed. "Are you performing this for the competition?"

"Ah, no. I actually haven't shown it to the guys yet – what?" he furrowed his brows in confusion as she looked at him in disbelief.

"I-I'm sorry," she said composing herself and shaking her head. "It's just I can't believe you haven't shown anyone! It's such a good song; you all should consider performing it."

"I don't know Hinata, you could just be saying that so that y'all can try and beat us in the competition." He winked at her as she looked offended at his use of the word 'try' and the fact that he could even consider her a cheater. She didn't need tricks to win the competition she allowed herself to think confidently.

"M-maybe I just want you to actually put up a decent fight," she retorted in the meanest way she could, which meant a blush on her face and refusing to make eye contact and he barked with laughter. She huffed defiantly. "Call Kiba and the others and tell them to come over," she said as she picked up his phone from the table in front of her and pushed it into his hand before picking up her book and standing.

"Wait, where are you going?" he asked her as she made her way to the door and his breath caught as she looked over her shoulder with a sly smile, hair flowing down her back like a charcoal waterfall.

"Now that I have an inside look at your performance, I have to prepare my team right? There's no way I'm going to let you guys beat us... Goodbye, Naruto." She smiled at him and with a wave and swish of her hair she was gone, leaving him staring blankly at the doorway she had just been standing in. He shook his head and with a smile on his face punched some numbers into his phone. _'So that's the way it's going to be is it, Hina?'_

"What the hell do you want, baka," a gruff voice came through the speaker and Naruto smirked.

"Call Shikamaru and Kiba and all three of you idiots get over here now. We've got a lot of work to do."

* * *

_Thanks for reading everyone and sorry for the long wait! Songs in the story are as listed below:_

_1. Thunder - Boys Like Girls (isn't this such a perfect song in terms of Hinata coming to terms with her feelings and just wanting to let Naruto know her feelings?)_

_2. Harlem - New Politics (this song doesn't really have anything to do with the story meaning-wise, but it's really fun and upbeat and I could completely imagine Naruto singing this type of song)_


	3. Chapter 3

Hello everyone! Sorry for the long delay, I haven't had a chance to get a story cranked out with the holidays and tests and what not. Thank you to those who've left a review, next chapter will be up within a few days! Enjoy! ^_^

* * *

"Ino stop texting in the middle of practice!"

"How else am I going to keep up with all the drama going on at school? With all this practicing I don't have any time to socialize, I'm not a barbarian Tenten."

"There's no drama at school unless _you're_ involved Pig!"

"What'd you say to me Forehead!?"

* * *

"No, no, no, you're getting the chords all wrong!"

"It's not my fault you don't know how to write music correctly, Naruto."

"Maybe if you actually took the time to read it instead of sleeping you'd have it down!"

"You're the one who decided to spring a new song on us at the last minute, dobe."

"What did you just say, baka teme?!"

To say tensions were high in Konoha would be a understatement.

Naruto ran his fingers through his hair in frustration as Shikamaru suggested the group call it a day before roughly placing his guitar on its stand and storming out of Kiba's basement with hands shoved into his pockets, leaving the his three band mates to go their separate ways or (more likely) to talk about the bad mood he was in. If he'd known it would take them so long to learn a new song for the competition he would never have suggested it, he decided. But if Hinata thought it was good enough, and if he wanted to ensure his band won the competition (not that he had any doubt they would, mind you) they needed perform at their best.

Their "best", however, wasn't exactly working out for them today.

He kicked a rock to release some anger as he trudged through the streets of Konoha with one clear destination in mind, random pedestrians scurrying out of his way with one look at the menacing expression on his face. _'Stupid Shikamaru, stupid Sasuke, stupid Kiba. Ichiraku's is all I need, and then I'll be cheered up in-" _The blonde came to an abrupt halt outside the ramen stand as he took notice of a sign posted on the front.

**'CLOSED for the day, come back tomorrow.'**

"You've got to be kidding me!" he yelled, much to the annoyance of those around him as he grunted in exasperation and muttered incoherencies to himself, plopping himself down onto the ground Indian-style next to the stand. He settled on glaring at the ground, arms crossed over his chest like a grumpy five year old child, with a frown on his face.

"The homeless these days will do anything for attention," an elderly woman raised her nose at him as she nudged her husband, giving Naruto a pompous look as her husband tossed some coins at his feet.

"**I'M NOT HOMELESS YOU OLD HAG!**" he yelled angrily, throwing the coins back at her as her jaw dropped. The woman, thoroughly insulted, glared at him before turning away with a 'Hmph!', muttering something about "ungrateful children." He groaned again, leaning back against the wall of the stand and staring into the sky. In a way, he could understand Shikamaru's appreciation for clouds as he watched the white puffs drift lazily across the sky as he stared at them longingly, his body settling into a slouch of defeat.

"N-Naruto?"

"Hinata!" he looked at her in surprise, turning his gaze towards the young woman staring down at him with concerned eyes. "Eh, I was just taking a short rest!"

She gazed at him with a soft expression, with pale eyes that seemed as though they should be incapable of displaying emotion yet somehow seemed so _warm_ to him at the moment, before settling down onto the ground next to him.

"I know an upset Naruto when I see one, please tell me what's wrong…" she asked him gently, gazing at him and taking notice of a dozen tiny details – the way he slouched against the wall, the defeat in his eyes as he gazed up at the clouds in thought, the way his hands were curled into fists against the ground, and the ruffled state of his hair – that only she, who had been pursuing him so longingly for more than half of her life, could notice. He took a deep breath in and sighed, bringing his knees up against his chest as if surrounding himself in a protective cocoon and resting his head on top of them. He looked at her hesitantly, not wanting to spoil her day, as he felt he had to so many others, yet the concentration in her eyes told him she wouldn't leave him without a good answer.

"Just all this practicing for the competition, you know? It seemed like it would be a piece of cake, but with Friday only 3 days away everyone is being so touchy, and it's taking forever for them to learn the new song, even though I stayed up all night finishing the music! And we cut practice short, and some lady thought I was a hobo and–", he inhaled to catch his breath before looking at her with a pout. "– it's been a bad day."

It took all of her strength to hold back the smile trying to inch its way onto her face as she stared at him, normally so confident and buoyant, looking at her like a lost puppy. She released a deep sigh, leaning back against the wall next to him and settling her hands in her lap.

"Things aren't, um, going so well for us either…" she said quietly as she gazed at the clouds, wishing nothing more than to just join them floating so carefree across the sky. "Everyone is really anxious with the competition being so close and all this practicing isn't r-really, well, isn't helping with the arguing."

She turned to him with an understanding smile on her face, butterflies fluttering in her stomach and heart quickening as he gazed at her unwaveringly his bright blue eyes that she loved. "But it's all worth it in the end. We're all still friends and care about each other, a little arguing isn't going to change that. Maybe all we need is a break so we can remember why we're doing this in the first place. It's not all about being competitive and winning, it's about genuinely enjoying making music you love with the people you care about."

He smiled brightly at her, for she knew he could never stay upset for too long before bouncing back with a renewed vigor, and she had to avert her gaze as a blush worked its way onto her face.

"Hina?" he ventured quietly, and she began to turn her gaze towards him before gasping in surprise as she felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her towards him in a hug. She could only sit there frozen like a rock, feeling as though her heart would burst right out of her chest any minute as he squeezed her.

He tightened his arms around her, noting how she smelled sweet and flowery, how her hair was way softer than it looked, how warm she was, how her skin was smooth and soft, and how easily she fit into his arms. He released her after only a few seconds, somewhat reluctantly though he wouldn't admit it to himself, and looked at her cherry face with his signature grin.

"You always know the right thing to say to make me feel better! Come on, I'll walk you home." he stood up and held his hand out to her, which she took dazedly without a sound. Her mind spun with thousands of thoughts of the sudden embrace as the two walked, her silently, him talking nonstop.

'_H-he actually h-hugged me! O-oh Kami, __**don't**__ faint Hinata, d-don't ruin it now! I have to tell Sakura! It w-was just a friendly hug, n-nothing more, I'm sure he g-gives them to people all the time…' _her thoughts drifted sadly to the image of him hugging other girls. Why did he have to screw with her mind this way, she thought, falling into a melancholic state as she walked on silently next to him. _'Everyone else but him seems to know how I feel, so he must just see me as a f-friend..'_

"Hellooo, Earth to Hinata!" she felt him knock on her head, pulling her from her thoughts suddenly and her eyes widened in shock while he looked at her with an amused grin.

"I-I'm sorry, Naruto, I'm just lost in my thoughts I guess. What did you say?" she asked with an apologetic smile.

"I, uh, asked what you were doing later tonight?" he asked her hesitantly, scratching the back of his head nervously with a lame grim on his face. She flushed brightly as she felt her heat pick up its pace once again as they came to a stop at the gate outside her home.

"I-I, um, n-nothing! I'm not doing anything!" she replied almost too quickly, cringing internally at her eagerness to hear why he was asking. He flashed a grin at her then, seemingly pleased with her answer.

"Great! Come by again later and let's practice for the competition and work on our songs!" he said his goodbyes happily, feeling the same feeling fluttering inside him as it had when he was around her lately, as he walked away waving at her over his shoulder. She could die right then and be happy, she decided, as she inhaled deeply and let out a small squeal as she turned and almost skipped into her house with a smile on her face. She slipped her shoes off in the entryway, almost dancing as she walked down the hall lost in complete bliss at the prospect of getting to spend time with Naruto again before turning the corner and running into something roughly.

"Hinata," a voice said coolly as she looked up at the familiar face looking down at her questionably, immediately driving all happy thoughts from her mind. "You seem…happy. Did something happen."

"A-ah, um, yes nii-san." she anxiously fought back her stutter as she searched her mind for an excuse. She obviously couldn't tell him that she was going to be spending time, alone, with the very boy he had beaten up days earlier and accused of being a Peeping Tom. She fought back a blush at the memory, clearing her throat to gather her nerves as she gave him the calmest smile she could muster. "I have plans with Sakura-san later and I am very excited."

He narrowed his gaze ever so slightly, looking at her suspiciously. "Didn't you just come from seeing her and the others?"

"Ah, yes, well, we just wanted to spend some quality time together taking a break from practicing." She patted herself on the back mentally for holding back her stutter as she fought to not waver under his intimidating stare.

"Mhmm…"

"Yes, well, Tenten will be by soon to get me so I have to get ready!" she responded quickly with her trump card, smiling as he coughed lightly and lost the intensity in his gaze. "Answer the door for me when she gets here!"

"Alright, whatever." He responded coolly and she gave him a sly look as she walked around him quickly before he could give her the glare he always did when she mentioned her brunette friend. She slipped into her room quickly with a short lived sigh of relief before realizing the predicament she placed herself in.

'_Well great, I guess I need to call Tenten, Sakura, and Ino now.'_

* * *

"Byeeee Nejiiiii!" Tenten waved flirtatiously over her shoulder as she and Hinata walked away from the large house, the boy responding by sending her a slight glare before closing the door without a response. She chuckled to herself and shook her head. "He acts like he hates me, but I know he's in love with me."

"Thank you, Tenten, for agreeing to go through all this trouble." Hinata muttered shyly, feeling more weight being lifted from her shoulders the further she got from her home.

"Getting to see that hot cousin of yours is never any trouble!" she winked and laughed when Hinata blushed in embarrassment. "Besides I couldn't let you miss this opportunity to hang out with your lover boy! And a girl's night really does sound pretty good after all the stress of practicing lately."

"I know that nii-san would never approve of me going hanging out with Naruto alone, especially since he considers him a pervert now." The two girls laughed amongst each other at the thought, as they made their way to their pink haired friend's residence.

"Eek, come inside, come inside!" Ino squealed as soon as she opened the door for them, literally pulling them inside and into Sakura's room, slamming the door shut behind her. She threw herself onto the bed next to Sakura, both girls looking at her expectantly as she set her bag down on the floor.

"Tell us **everything**, what happened with you and Naruto!" "Did he ask you out?!" "Why are y'all hanging out later?!" "Why all the secrecy!?"

"You guys are monsters." Tenten glared at them disapprovingly as they continued to bombard the girl with a million questions before she managed to quiet them long enough to tell the short story of her earlier escapade with an ever present blush on her face.

"Awwww, that's so cuuuute!" Ino exclaimed dreamily, looking at her affectionately.

"I-It's no big deal, h-he just wants to work on s-some music."

"Even I have to admit, that's pretty dang adorable." Tenten grinned at her. "When are you going?"

"I suppose I should head over here in a few minutes," she glanced at the clock on the wall as she stood up and walked into Sakura's private bathroom to fix her hair before she gathered her belongings.

"I just had the best idea!" Sakura gasped before clapping her hands together. "You can spy on what kind of music the guys are going to perform and come back and tell us!"

"W-what!? N-no, Sakura that's cheating!" she looked at the girl in disbelief at her suggestion.

"It's not! It's just, you know, gives us a look at what we're up against a few days early!" Ino backed her up as Sakura nodded her head excitedly.

"We don't need to spy in order to win!" Tenten said vehemently, hesitating for a brief moment before adding, "But I guess it _would_ give us just a little preview. It's not like we're going to steal their songs or anything like that..."

Hinata's mouthed dropped slightly as she looked at her friend in betrayal. How could they ask her to do something to their friends – to _Naruto_! Right when she was finally getting to know him better! Hinata Hyuuga was not a cheater!

"I-I can't do that to Naruto, he trusts me!" she said defensively as the girls corralled her out of the room and down the hall to the door.

"Just be sneaky, we won't tell anyone!"

"Yeah, good luck Hinata! Come back soon!"

"Don't forget to get a look at their songs!"

"B-but I don't want to–," she protested before the door closed in her face. "–spy." She sighed before turning away and beginning her short walk to his house, shaking her head in self-refusal to fulfill her friend's wishes. _'I would never do that to him..'_

"We're totally following her, right?" Ino looked at her two friends as they crowded around the window, watching the girl head down the street before turning the corner. Sakura and Tenten returned her smirk mischievously.

"Definitely."


	4. Chapter 4

"Damn it Kiba, I already told you no!" Naruto yelled, subsequently trying to shove his friend out of his apartment door.

"Come on dude, it'll be easy!" the dog boy ducked underneath Naruto's arms as they made a frenzied grasp for his head. "All you have to do is be like 'Hey Hina, what kinds of songs are you guys playing?' and I **know** for a fact that she'll tell you!"

"She'd totally say no! And besides that's cheating, asshole! What happened to 'there's no way they can beat us', now you're trying to sneak around?!"

"Kiba does have a bit of a point, Naruto. Hinata can't say no to you, and it would get us better prepared for the competition." Shikamaru pointed out lazily, causing Naruto to glare at him. He looked at Sasuke for support, but was disappointed there as well.

"It's not like we're changing our set or stealing their songs, idiot. What's the big deal?" he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly with a bored expression on his face. Naruto groaned in exasperation.

"What's the big deal? **What's the big deal?!** It's _lying_! To Hinata of all people!"

"What's so wrong with lying to Hinata, hmm? You like her or something?" Kiba winked at him evilly, nudging him in the side before ducking to dodge a punch to the face.

"It's not like that baka!" he huffed defensively, using all his restraint to prevent a blush from forming on his face. _'Why am I trying not to blush? I don't __**like**__ Hinata, she's just..a really good friend! Yeah, that's all, it's not right to lie to your friends_,' he thought as he attempted to rationalize the turmoil in his head and the feeling of slight disappointment at the term 'friend.'

"Tch, dumb ass." Sasuke rolled his eyes at him before standing up from his spot on the couch. "She could be here any minute, we need to leav-"

_*knock knock knock*_

All arguing ceased as the four boys froze suddenly, looking at each other with wide eyes searching for a sign of what to do. They glanced between each other, trying to communicate using frenzied hand movements and mouthed curses at each other before Shikamaru pointed towards Naruto's bedroom door.

"Hurry up, hurry up!" Naruto whispered hurriedly as he pushed his friends into his room.

"Ugh, what the fuck dude, why are all these ramen cups on the floor?" Kiba scrunched up his nose before being punched in the back of the head by Sasuke to shut him up.

*knock knock knock*

"C-Coming! Damn it, just shut the hell up and stay in here!" he glared at each of them for getting him stuck in this current predicament before shutting the door in their faces.

"Ask her what songs they're playing-OW!" he heard Kiba whisper loudly through the crack before being delivered another harsh blow to the head by Sasuke. He attempted to compose himself as he headed to the door, opening it to reveal a smiling Hinata.

"Hey Hina! Uh, come on in!" he attempted his best smile and tried to disguise the fact his heart was thumping loudly in his chest as he glanced cautiously at his bedroom door. She smiled at him as she made her way into his apartment, taking a seat on the couch with him following immediately after.

"I hope I didn't interrupt any-"

"You didn't! I mean, what would there be to interrupt? I was just, uh, getting some rest!" he responded as he tried to lean back against the couch coolly and divert any attention away from the door he was sure his friends were eavesdropping against.

"O-kaaay," she laughed lightly as she watched him lean against the couch tensely, his nervous eyes betraying the smile he was presenting her. "Um, is everything okay?"

"Pshhh, of course! Nothing's wrong! Not. A. Thing."

"Are you sure? I can come back another time if you want." She began to stand before he grabbed her arm suddenly.

"**No!**" he yelled suddenly and she looked between his face and his hands clutching her forearm in surprise, her signature blush gracing her features. "I mean, I don't want you to leave..," he said as he pulled her back down onto the couch softly. She looked at him suspiciously.

"…Naruto, are you hiding something?"

"W-what! Me? No way, Hina, it's just –" he stopped mid sentence as a sneeze resonated lightly from the room behind him. She blinked in confusion.

"Is someone here?"

"NO! I mean, no Hina that was just this cat that's been hanging around lately." He laughed nervously, waving off the noise as she furrowed her brow softly at the door behind him. He cringed as he heard the sound of ramen cups rolling around.

"But-"

"I have an idea!" he yelled, cupping her face suddenly to make her focus on him rather than the bedroom door. He tried to ignore the tingling in his palms as he felt her smooth skin underneath his fingers, and he grinned as she looked at him with wide eyes and a bright blush. "Let's practice outside today! In the park!"

"O-oh, u-um, okay." She sputtered out and smiled at him shyly, trying to make sense of his tense, nervous actions as he pulled her up from the couch and led her to the door.

"I mean fresh air is good to get those creative juices flowing!" he grinned as he opened the door for her and pushed her outside, turning his head back as he closed it to find three heads peeking through the crack of his bedroom door. He frowned sternly at them, swiftly flipping them off before closing his apartment door behind him.

"That baka, I'll kick his ass!" Kiba growled as he stormed through the bedroom door, Shikamaru and Sasuke following him as random ramen cups spilled out into the hallway.

"They're a good distance away, we can leave." Sasuke said, peeking through the window at the pair walking down the street, Naruto talking animatedly while Hinata just smiled. "Dumbass."

"We could follow them."

Two pairs of eyes immediately jerked towards Shikamaru as he shrugged his shoulders in a _'why not_' sort of way. Kiba and Sasuke glanced at each other for a moment in disbelief.

"_You_ want to follow them?" Kiba quirked his eyebrow while pondering if his friend had been replaced by some kind of alien. Shikamaru looked at the ceiling and sighed dramatically as if the question was wasting his time.

"Would I have suggested it otherwise?"

"Hmph, like a nosey schoolgirl." Sasuke smirked in amusement causing Shikamaru to glare at him lazily (if that's even possible). Kiba rubbed his hands together sinisterly, chuckling like a maniac as he gazed intently at the door leading to outside.

"This'll be fun."

* * *

"Ouch, Sakura, move over!"

"You stepped on my foot, Pig!

"That's because your feet are as big as your forehead!" Ino retorted sharply while Sakura looked at her with an insulted look on her face.

"Shut the hell up you two! They're going to hear us!" Tenten muttered as she peered around the corner of the building from which the trio was spying on their shy friend.

"What are they doing, has she asked him yet?" Sakura tiptoed to peer over Tenten's shoulder as she watched Naruto wave his arms dramatically, a smile appearing on his face when she laughed in response from her spot next to him on a bench.

"Aww, they're so cute together." Ino mewed, when Hinata replied to him shyly causing him to howl in laughter and thus eliciting a flurry of giggles from her.

"No gushing today Ino, she's on a mission." Sakura set, raising her fist with a determined expression on her face as she sent positive mental vibes towards her friend.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

The girls froze, wincing as they recognized who the voice belonged to before turning to face the group. Kiba smiled evilly, arms crossed in delight at the scene before him, Sasuke smirking next to him while Shikamaru stood with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"What are you guys doing here? Don't you have anything better to do like, oh I don't know, practice your asses off so you have at least a small chance of getting second place?" Tenten returned the smirk as Kiba scowled.

"I should be asking you that question, we don't need to practice to beat you four! Y'all should be practicing every chance you get instead of hanging around in some alley!"

"Don't tell us what to do baka! We can hang around wherever you want!" Ino retorted hotly, raising her fist aggressively while Shikamaru peeked over their heads.

"Hanging around? More like spying." He nudged his head towards the scene behind them, Kiba and Sasuke looking around to see Naruto and Hinata talking casually on a bench in the park.

"W-we're not _spying_, thank you very much! We didn't even know they were there! Y'all were probably the ones here to spy, trying to steal our secrets for the competition!" Sakura glared, crossing her arms while the boys rolled their eyes at her lame excuse.

"That's the reason _you're _here isn't it! I wouldn't put it past you three," Kiba glared and a moment later a grin appeared on his face. "I'm telling."

And before they could retort, the brown haired boy took off in a sprint, laughing wickedly.

* * *

Hinata was in heaven.

Her heart fluttered happily inside her chest as she stared at Naruto talking excitedly, waving his hands around emphatically as he talked on and on. Not that she minded. She could sit and listen to his milky voice forever and never get tired of hearing it. She was sure that a blush was on her face, but at that moment she didn't care. He smiled at her radiantly as he told various stories, and she fought off a faint when her replies made him laugh beautifully. She'd forgotten all about the request her friends had asked of her; hell, she'd forgotten that the rest of the world existed outside of the boy sitting in front of her who made her laugh and smile effortlessly.

Naruto wasn't exactly sure of his feelings.

He rambled on and on, trying to fill this need he felt to keep Hinata entertained and _smiling_. He felt his heart clench each time she smiled or laughed at something he said, and continued with a stronger vigor to make her smile again. He sat close to her, but not too close. Just close enough that he could faintly smell her flowery scent again and savor its sweet smell in his nostrils. Her laugh was soothing and he suddenly felt the urge to hug her again like he had earlier, even if it was just for a second. He immediately pushed the thought aside; she was his friend and _only_ his friend. She was one of his precious people, a friend he wanted to spend more time with, who had an amazing smile, and a laugh he really liked hearing, and soft skin, and was really pretty, and – woah, did he just say really pretty? He backtracked quickly, and continued the sporadic process of getting lost in thoughts of her only to retract them immediately until he decided to push all of his confusion out of his mind to just enjoy her company.

And so he did...for about three seconds when his conversation was intruded upon.

"Narutoooooo!"

"Kiba get your ass back here so I can kill you!"

"Oh great," he mumbled as he glared at the boy hastily sprinting towards him with 4 others in tow. _'First he wants me to lie to Hina and now he's interrupting our conversation! That baka, I'm gonna kick his ass later._'

"Sakura, Ino, and Tenten were spying on you!" Kiba managed to sputter out before being promptly tackled to the ground.

"We weren't!" Sakura yelled as she slapped at him wildly before Ino managed to pull her off.

"Eh? Spying?" he blinked in confusion with a raised eyebrow. Why would Sakura and the others be spying on him? And what the hell were the guys doing there anyway; didn't anyone teach them to mind their own business?

"We saw them hanging around the corner watching you guys." Shikamaru said as he approached the group, motioning his head back towards a building a few yards away.

"Yeah, they sent Hinata to try to figure out what kind of songs we were going to play!"

"What!?" he immediately jerked his head towards the girl who was looking between him and the group with fearful eyes, before shaking her head vehemently.

"I-I wasn't-"

"You...you were trying to get the songs out of me?" he looked down at her with a furrowed brow, feeling confused and for some reason hurt, and a variety of other emotions as she looked at him desperately. Hinata wasn't that kind of person...was she?

"N-Naruto I w-wasn't!"

"Yeah, well jokes on you guys because Naruto was doing the exact same thing!" Kiba said triumphantly and Naruto looked at him with wide eyes.

"Whaaat?! Naruto, you were trying to cheat?! How dare you!" Sakura yelled and the group erupted into a loud exchange of curses and blames while Naruto tried to get a word in about how he had rejected their idea to spy on Hinata.

"Gah, Kiba teme, I told you I wasn't-"

"Y-You were spying on me?" he heard a voice ask quietly and he turned to find Hinata staring at him with eyes full of betrayal.

"No! Just let me explain-"

"I-Is that the only reason you invited me over in the first place? To find out our songs?" she gazed up at him with watery eyes, hurt etched on her face. He looked at her desperately, trying to shake his head in denial and he felt something aching inside his chest as he looked at her.

"No! That's not what happened just let me explain-" he reached out for her shoulder, only to grasp the air as she stepped back from him slightly. His mouth opened in a wordless response as he searched his mind endlessly for an answer, a way to stop her from looking at him with that pain in her eyes, and he dropped his hand back to his side.

"You guys are jerks! We don't need your stupid set list in order to kick your asses!" Ino huffed as she and Tenten began walking away, glaring back at the group of guys.

"Good luck with that you cheaters! Don't come crying when you lose!"

"Come on Hinata." Sakura said to her softly as she linked their arms together, shooting Naruto a glare for good measure.

"Wait, just let me explain!" he exclaimed to her, heart dropping when she gave him one last hurt look before walking away with Sakura. '_I-Is that the only reason you invited me over in the first place?' _he heard her voice repeat in his mind, the image of the sadness in her eyes flooding his head.

"Sheesh, those girls are crazy. So did you get any of their songs?" Kiba approached him with arms crossed, brow furrowed stubbornly.

"Baka teme, look what you did! She hates me now!" he pushed him away from him angrily, thrusting his arm out in the direction Hinata had just walked away. "I told you I wasn't going to lie to her!"

"Calm down Naruto, she'll get over it." Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and Naruto groaned angrily, throwing his hands into the air and shoving past the group.

"Where the hell are you going?!"

"Why do you care, trying to follow me again?!" he shot back furiously, leaving the group staring after him until he disappeared around the corner with the image of her face still haunting his mind.

"Damn." Shikamaru muttered. "You're an idiot, Kiba."

"**Eh?!** What the hell did I do!?"

* * *

Here's another chapter to make up for the wait for the previous one! Next chapter will be posted within a week or so, thank you to everyone who has been reviewing and following the story so far! :)


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